


Even As Young As You Are

by catbeanies



Category: One Direction (Band)
Genre: AU, Alternate Universe - College/University, Friends to Lovers, Harry Styles - Freeform, Louis Tomlinson - Freeform, M/M, Mostly Larry tbh, Pen Pals, but not really, larry stylinson - Freeform, long distance, one direction - Freeform, slight mention of Barbara, ziam
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2014-10-31
Updated: 2014-10-31
Packaged: 2018-02-23 08:24:30
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,243
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2540960
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/catbeanies/pseuds/catbeanies
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Louis Tomlinson is in a writing workshop class his last semester of Uni in London with his best friend Zayn. He doesn't expect anything to come out of the class, he's just ready to get his degree and start his career as a teacher back in his hometown. For the final project the class is assigned Pen Pals from the other side of the world in the US that they must write back and forth to for 2 months. </p>
<p>Harry Styles is a Senior in College in Los Angeles, California. He dumbly waited till his last year to take a mandatory Gen-ed english class and gets assigned a pen pal from the UK. He's probably more excited than he should be.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Even As Young As You Are

**Author's Note:**

> hiiii this is my first published work in several years and my first work done for the 1D fandom, I've been more of a reader than writer. The POV will jump between Louis and Harry. I will indicate when it changes and once I get into longer chapters it will stick to one POV per chapter.  
> My tumblr is welcometokroger and I'll post updates about this work and what not on there :) this work was inspired by this post vvv
> 
> http://welcometokroger(.)tumblr(.)com/post/101393052550/drunkaster-pen-pal-au-7-minutes-in-heaven

**_Harry_ **

 

_Over the next 6 weeks you will write letters back in forth your assigned partner from London University in London, England. Under no circumstances will you and your pen pal communicate other than through your letters. No exchanging of numbers or emails until after the 6 weeks are up, after then I do not care if you communicate further, it is up to you. You will be given your assigned partner when class meets on Tuesday._

  * _Professor Cowell._  



Harry skimmed over the email his professor sent out about an hour ago. Harry was up particularly early for a Saturday, glancing at the clock and taking another sip of his coffee he saw  _8:38 AM_ lit up brightly on the display of the stove. He knew work was going to be an absolute bitch later, his shift at the College Library started at 10 so he needed to shower and get on his way. His roommate, Niall, and himself shared an apartment just off campus, therefore Harry could just walk the few short blocks to work, but it never hurt to be early. Niall wouldn’t be up till at least noon at best. Always the partier he didn’t get home until just after 4 this morning, waking up Harry and his most importantly his cat, Mittens. Which Niall claims is the dumbest name for a cat but Harry doesn’t care what he says. The damn thing showed up on his porch 3 years ago when Harry and Niall first moved in, his paws covered in dirt from the flower bed.

At least the last semester of school wouldn’t be too boring with the upcoming pen pal project. Harry remembered reading about it on the syllabus for his English 1402 class at the beginning of the semester. Both himself and Niall should have taken the class their sophomore year but with so many other classes offered such as Scuba Diving 101 and Intro to German they both seemed to have forgotten to take it until now, their senior year. 

Learning about someone from the other side of the world seems so wild to Harry. At age 21 he’d hardly been outside California since he was a little kid. London, England was just _so far._ If all went well he secretly hoped he and his pen pal would get on well and he could visit some day. Los Angeles had its perks. A huge city and pristine beaches, but it got boring after all these years.

After a quick shower and changing into a buttoned flannel and ripped jeans, Harry fluffed his hair and went on his way to the Library to spend the day sorting books. His brain buzzing for the upcoming week.

_**Tuesday** _

10:05, 5 minutes after class began, Harry and Niall strolled through the doors of the lecture hall with nothing more than a pencil resting on Niall’s ear and Harry had a laptop bag slung over his shoulder. 

“Ah Mister Styles, Horan. How nice of you to join us this morning” Professor Cowell clapped announcing their arrival as they took their regular seats towards the back. All the wide-eyed underclass men stared at them like they were two deer in headlights. Harry raised his hand in a sheepish wave and Niall adjusted his sunglasses on his nose, refusing to take them off even though they were now indoors.

“As I was saying, today I will assign you your pen pal over at London University. They have already received your information so expect a letter within the next week or so. I would like you to try and send at least two letters per week. One will be to answer questions from a list I will pass out and I will collect that letter. The other will be to communicate on a personal level with your Pen pal if you so desire, and I highly encourage you do.”

Harry typed all that the professor said on his laptop for further reference. Niall watched what he typed over his shoulder and nodded in agreement.

“Without further ado, here are your partners for the next 6 weeks.” Cowell walked up and down the rows of seats and handed every student a slip of paper.

“I got some lad named Zayn Malik. Interesting name if ya ask me” Niall showed Harry his paper and scratched his forehead before folding his paper and stuffing it in his pocket. “Who did you get?” Niall leaned up and peered at Harry’s slip of paper.

“Mine says.. Louis Tomlinson.” Harry read off the paper. Along with his name was some basic info and a mailing address. He was 23 and a senior english major. Seemed interesting enough. If only Harry was aloud to see what he looked like. Seeing as he would be corresponding with this ‘Louis’ for the next 6 weeks. A description would have to do for now. As the professor continued to pass out slips of paper to the other students Niall and Harry grabbed their few things they brought with them and left class as quickly as possible. 

**_Louis_ **

The blaring sound of Louis’ alarm echoed throughout his sparsely furnished flat. It was only just after 9am and he had fallen asleep fairly early the night before, but still mornings were not his cup of tea and he groaned, rolling over and hitting the snooze. This went on for another 20 minutes before he got out of bed, rubbed his eyes and slipped his glasses on his nose. 

Downstairs he could hear his two flatmates, Liam and Zayn, chatting noisily in the kitchen. 

“Ay Lou I was telling Liam about the final project for our Writing workshop class. Gonna be sick getting to talk to Americans.” Zayn enthused. Liam and Zayn were sitting at the table to the side of the small kitchen sharing a toasted bagel and tea.

“Americans are not that entertaining Z. I’ve visited multiple times its not that great. Rude people and greasy food. Also a lack of tea.” Louis wrinkled his nose and put a kettle on to boil. He’d visited the states many times with his step-dad growing up on business. California, New York, Utah and several other trips Louis got to tag along on, at the end of the day Louis was definitely not a fan of Americas but he’d take every chance he got to travel.

“Got some lad named Niall Horan. Music major. He’s our age even though its a 2nd year level class. Seems he skipped it and got stuck taking it his last year.” Zayn commented. 

“Harry Styles. Psych Major. Same boat as Niall apparently.” Louis read his pen pal’s info off the email his professor sent out a few days ago. He poured the now hot water into his cup and added one a small tea bag and a dash of cream and joined his flatmates at the table.

“I don’t know Louis maybe this will be interesting. Never know maybe this lad will sweep you off your feet.” Liam winked and ruffled Zayn’s messy morning fringe before taking their plate and tea cups to the sink to wash.

“Who knows Payno” Louis mumbled and raised his eyebrows, taking a sip of his tea. He got up from the table, flipped the lock on the back door and walked out on the deck to try and enjoy the crisp morning air. “Highly unlikely!” he added, slamming the porch door behind him.


End file.
